Bursitis is an unsolved medical problem. Bursitis is an inflammation of a bursa or protecting sac that is located in or near the patients joints. Bursitis can be acute resulting in a sudden, sharp pain following an injury, or it can be chronic as a result of a recurrent inflammation in the same area. Most commonly, bursitis is caused by trauma, infection and crystal deposits. Bursitis typically results from overuse or injury of a joint as a consequence of intensive working or playing, poor conditioning before exercising or sporting, systematic incorrect posture at work or rest, or an abnormal positioned joint as a result of for instance arthritis or bone length differences that stress soft tissue structures in the human or animal body. Bursitis exceptionally however may also appear in association with other diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, tuberculosis, psoriatic arthritis, gout, a bacterial infection, etc.
When the joint is overused or when it stays under pressure or tension for extended periods of time, a nearby bursa or sac can become inflamed. The bursa then fills with excess fluid causing additional pressure on surrounding tissue resulting in bursitis. Bursitis usually occurs under shoulder muscles, at elbows (called epitrochlear bursitis), near the thigh or hip (called trochanteric bursitis), at heel bones (called retrocalcaneal bursitis) or kneecaps (called infrapatellar bursitis). It can also occur in the buttocks (called ischiogluteal bursitis).
Existing methods for treatment of bursitis include rest, physical therapy, protecting the inflamed area, use of anti-inflammatory drugs, surgical drainage, injection of corticosteroids and surgical removal of the bursa. An overview of state of the art treatment methods for bursitis is given in the article “Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome: A Review of Anatomy, Diagnosis and Treatment” from the authors Bryan S. Williams and Steven P. Cohen, published in “Anesthesia & Analgesia”, Vol. 108, No. 5, May 2009, pages 1662-1670. The known bursitis treatment methods however all remove or suppress the inflammation only temporarily. Typically, the bursa grows back and the inflammation of the bursa re-appears after a few months.
Resting, physical therapy and/or treating a bursa close to the skin with padding can relieve the patients discomfort and inflammation resulting from bursitis in seven to fourteen days. Preventive measures such as the use of cushioned chairs or protective gear near joints, warm-up and cool-down exercises, avoiding overuse of joints through sports or labour, and strengthening the muscles may further help the patient in avoiding or delaying re-appearance of the bursa inflammation.
Anti-inflammatory medication used in the treatment of bursitis includes aspirin or non-steroidal drugs such as ibuprofen, naproxen or indomethacin. In case bursitis is the result of a bacterial infection, antibiotics can be used as well.
An alternative treatment consists in aspiration or surgical drainage of fluid from the bursa, and the injection of corticosteroids in the bursa. The treatment with corticosteroids however must be dosed carefully because of the long list of potential side-effects of corticosteroids.
In case of chronic bursitis that cannot be treated in the conservative way, invasive surgical removal of the bursa will be considered.
It is an objective of the present invention to disclose a device and method for the treatment of bursitis that overcomes the drawbacks and shortcomings mentioned here above in relation to the existing bursitis treatment methods. In particular, it is an objective of the present invention to disclose a device and method that enable to treat bursitis permanently, thereby avoiding recurrent appearance of the bursa inflammation.